The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-09-07
NEW Works LODGING HOUSES.
People Who Patronize Them and Get
Accommodation Mt TrIfling Expense.

Accommodations mt Trining Expense
Not long ago reporter, curious to test
tho truth Of the old adage that "one-half
the world knows not how the other half
lives" made tour of the cheap lodging
houses, which almost completely lihe
Chatham street from the Brooklyn bridge
to East Houston street. As q rule the
cheapest class Of these lodging houses are
patronized by tramps who, during the
day, have begged nickel OF dime Of
some benevolently inclined person, and
by inveterate drunkards who, having no
home TO go to, have pledged whatever
article the pawnbrokers would accept.
In this class of lodging house HE usual
charge is five cents. Having paid the
man in charge of the packing case like
Office one sis. entitled to "bcd."' This
"bed" is the, bare floor of an outrage
ously ventilated room, usually, about
twenty feet square, and no covering is
provided. In this room are nightly hud-
died together anywhere from twenty-five
to fifty men. The close atmosphere of
the room, together with the breath of the
sleepers, renders the air sickening hi the
extreme. No attempt is made at cleanh-
ness, and further, man suffering with
any contagious disease is as readily re-
csived as one in perfect health. Only q
few months ago man suffering with
smallpox was spotted in one Of these
holes by the police, and after much delay
removed to hospital. Tho entfaioe to
the lodging house is invariably through
narrow doorway of the street, and up
staircase, lighted only by smah oil
lamp. Everywhere about the place ver-
min can be found. Rats and mice fairly
overrun the place. 1t is the custom to
turn cut all dodgers at a. m. for the
avowed purpo sentilating the place,
but ventilati1 impossible unless the
vile building be tvrn down.
The ten and fifteen cert houses are a
little better than the "five centers'' but
not much. For ten cents one can get
a cot bed in a small room with several
others. Sometimes mattress and sheet
are provided the lodger, but oftener he
gets.no covering whatever. Forsfif.cen
cents the lodger gets ''priyate room"
which is one OF many. II is made by
dividing good sized room, by means of
wooden partitions into number of
smaller rooms. In some of them one
finds chair as well as the cot. A weak
effort at cleanliness is made here. In q
fairly large room near by soap, water
and towels are furnished, and all are ex-
pected to avail themselves Of their uso.
In this class of lodging houses the patrons
are awakened at 7 a. M, when a general
cleaning up takes place and everything h
put In readiness for the next nights
lodgers. The next priced houses cost
lodgers twenty-five or thirty-fve cents u
night, according to the accommodations.
These houses are all that reasonable
person in reduced circumstances can ex-
pect.
For twenty-five cents one is frequently
given n single room, but at some places
the lodger is quartered with two or three
other men, but in q separate bed. Az
tached 10 some Of this class of houses are
sitting rooms, where far in the early
morning hours groups of men sit about
talking or reading. Some houses fur
nish their patrons with bath. The best
class of cheap lodging houses charge fifty
cents per night. These are patronized
chiefly by poor mechanics and laBorlng
men. Everything is done to make their
patrons comfortable. The daily papers
are kept on file, and games of chess and
checkers are permitted in the reading
room. The entrances are large and wide,
lighted by gas, and kept as clean as pos
sible. Notwithstanding that every effort
is made to keep these places well ven
tilated, in the summer the heat is intoler-
able.-New York World.